FEL valves

[Jet A Ranch]

Hey guys,

Just joined up to try and tap into some crowd wisdom. I recently purchased a MF 5465 from an estate auction and then found a MF DL280 loader to slap on it. Simple stuff until it seemed like no one could put together the hydraulic set up for it. Including countless MF dealers. The last dealer gave up on a MF setup and went to Whole goods for a bush hog kit. After the tractor sat in their shop for 2.5 months they gave up and said come get your tractor, we cannot get the parts for it. I finally managed to get a FEL valve part number from AGCO answers, but I’m not sure it’s´ the correct part either. It says it’s a manifold, not a valve. Not sure what the difference is, but for over $1,000 I’m not willing to risk it.

I suppose my question is really, does it matter what valve I put on the tractor as long as it meets the specs of the tractor and loader? The tractor is a cab unit and I will use a cable joystick. Also, does it matter where the valve is located? I noticed on agcopartsbook that there are several kits available for the 5400 series tractors but all show rear mounted. My New Holland TL90 has the FEL valve mounted just forward of the cab. Does it make any difference where the valve is mounted?

Ultimately, I’m going to have a professional mount all this stuff up....if I can find one. I’m just not sure if the dealers are simply using OEM sold products and cannot find a simple solution or is this tractor/loader combo a true UNICORN!

Any suggestions would be helpful. Obviously I’m no tractor hydraulics expert, but this seems like it should be a simple issue to solve all other evidence to the contrary.

 

[davedj1]

There are a lot more qualified people here to answer you than I. My understanding is as long as you know whether you have open center or closed center then selecting a valve should be fairly simple. This one is pretty versatile 2 Spool 25 GPM Joystick Loader Control Valve | Prince Mfg | Brands | www.surpluscenter.com

 

[RNeumann]

If a heavy mechanic is going to do the install they will get the valve. Their is nothing special about the valve but their are about a bazillion different options and they can get just the valve and joystick to do the job......this shouldn’t be that hard!

 

[Jet A Ranch]

Thanks guys. That’s what I thought too, but being a neophyte regarding an install like this I had no knowledge base of my own. The responses from the 5 different dealers I spoke to and the 1 that kept my tractor for nearly 3 months had me perplexed. No substitute for experience.

Thanks again!

 

[Zebrafive]

First determine open or closed center hydraulics. Tractor data states both possible, depending on year, with or without a cab.
Then determine flow; open is 15gpm, closed is 29gpm. Valve needs to be sized for the flow.
Valve can be mounted any where the joystick cables can reach. I would think mid mount for a loader.


My guess is it will have closed center hydraulics.

 

[Jet A Ranch]

Just got the build sheet for the tractor. It has an open center system with 15 gpm. Not sure of the pressure relief #. It has three OC Spools designated as DA FD KO FL + SA/DA ZL NF + SA/DA.

While I have no idea what those letters designate, since the tractor has three rear remotes, I assume those are them.

 

[RNeumann]

All of the information you are gathering is fairly easy info to obtain- and a quality mechanic will have it figured out in about 5 min. If you are just curious and want to learn I get it. But if this is a new hobby that is begrudgingly consuming your time stop. A good shop will have you up and going fairly quickly......and without the research you are doing.

 

[Jet A Ranch]

All of the information you are gathering is fairly easy info to obtain- and a quality mechanic will have it figured out in about 5 min. If you are just curious and want to learn I get it. But if this is a new hobby that is begrudgingly consuming your time stop. A good shop will have you up and going fairly quickly......and without the research you are doing.

Yep, seemed simple to me. However, I’ve never had to build a hydraulic set up for a tractor before or determine why a Massey Ferguson dealer can’t install a Massey Ferguson loader on a Massey Ferguson tractor. When things don’t make sense I need to figure out why. Only way to do that is educate myself and solve the problem.

Thanks for confirming what I suspected all along. I was dealing with idiots incapable of thinking outside the box. It just took a bit of research for me to be able to “know” it. I’m loading up the tractor tomorrrow and taking it to a hydraulics shop.

 

[RNeumann]

Yep, seemed simple to me. However, I’ve never had to build a hydraulic set up for a tractor before or determine why a Massey Ferguson dealer can’t install a Massey Ferguson loader on a Massey Ferguson tractor. When things don’t make sense I need to figure out why. Only way to do that is educate myself and solve the problem.

Thanks for confirming what I suspected all along. I was dealing with idiots incapable of thinking outside the box. It just took a bit of research for me to be able to “know” it. I’m loading up the tractor tomorrrow and taking it to a hydraulics shop.

Yah no problem. I know above you said you were going to find someone else to do the work. That was he crux of my comment. The open center hydraulics is the norm. Check out YouTube- their are several good videos on hydraulic basics. It’s nearly as you would imagine- fluid in and out to “supply” the loader valve. Then the loader valve is two valves- one for lift and one for curl. The loader valve will be down on the frame (probably) and then they will run two cables up to a joystick in the cab. All of this is off the shelf parts. Depending on what you have and where they tie into the hydraulics will determine if you need a loader valve with a pressure regulator- those are very common. The hydraulics are typically “full pressure” for the HST and 3 pt and regulated down for the loader and other auxiliary items.